Live coverage: Raiders stun Chiefs in Kansas City with 40-32 win

By Case Keefer (contact)

Published Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020 | 2 a.m.

Updated Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020 | 3:36 p.m.

From quarterback Derek Carr to coach Jon Gruden, the Raiders were unanimous coming into Week 5 of the NFL season that they were sick of losing.

Consider them cured.

The Raiders banked arguably the biggest win of Gruden’s tenure, and certainly the franchise’s time in Las Vegas, with a 40-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

Coming into the game as a double-digit underdog, Las Vegas rarely looked like an overmatched team that had been defeated seven straight times in this venue. The Raiders put up 491 yards and 22 first downs, holding edges in both categories and even big edges for much of the second half until a late Chiefs’ surge put the outcome in doubt.

After Josh Jacobs scored his second straight touchdown to give the Raiders a seemingly unsurmountable 40-24 lead with 5:26 to go, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes did his usual MVP-type things. Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field in 1:29, throwing both a touchdown and two-point conversion pass to get the game down to one possession.

Las Vegas would need a pair of first rounds to secure victory once it got the ball back. It wasn’t easy, but the Raiders managed behind Jacobs’ churning legs and Carr’s leadership.

Carr was spectacular after an early interception, effectively outdueling Mahomes with 347 passing yards on 22-for-31 attempts and three touchdowns. Jacobs racked up 23 carries for 77 yards.

The win was Carr’s first-ever in Kansas City, and the franchise’s first since 2012. It brings the Raiders back up over .500 at 3-2 and sends them into a bye week on the ultimate high.

Check back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage of the Raiders’ win in Kansas City.

Chiefs cut Raiders lead to 40-32 with 3:57 to go

So much for feeling comfortable.

Patrick Mahomes showed why he's widely considered the best player in the NFL by leading the Chiefs down the field to get them within one score right after the Raiders took a commanding lead. A 7-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, and an ensuing two-point conversion pass to Darrel Williams, has this back at a possession game.

There's plenty of time so the Raiders will need to pick up a few first downs, if not add some points, to feel safe. Mahomes now has 340 passing yards, completing 22 of 43 attempts, while the Raiders' Derek Carr is at a similar 345 yards on 21-for-30 passing.

Raiders lead Chiefs 40-24 with 5:26 to go

Down goes the champions. At least that’s how it currently looks at Arrowhead where the Raiders have taken control against the Chiefs.

Las Vegas has scored twice in the last two minutes of game time, first concluding a 10-play drive with a 45-yard Daniel Carlson field goal to take a two-possession lead. Then, a Jeff Heath interception on a fourth-down Patrick Mahomes pass attempt set up a likely clinching touchdown.

Heath returned his pick 48 yards to the Chiefs’ 2-yard line and Josh Jacobs punched it in from there. It’s never wise to doubt former regular-season and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, but he’s got his work cut out for him here.

Raiders lead 30-24 with 14 minutes to play

The Raiders lead for the third time today after Josh Jacobs finished off a long drive with a 7-yard touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter.

The bad news for Raiders fans? Daniel Carlson missed the extra point. That’s the only downside of a definitive 13-play, 71-yard drive that lasted eight minutes.

Las Vegas was up to the task of slowing Kansas City’s offense on its last two possessions. After the missed extra point, it may now need to do so again to maintain a lead.

Raiders, Chiefs still locked at 24 through three quarters

A scoreless third quarter between the Raiders and Chiefs wasn’t what anyone expected after a wild first half.

And yet, the AFC West rivals mostly neutralized each other during the last 15 minutes of game time. Both teams went 3-and-out on each of their first two possessions in the third quarter, but the Raiders have made something of their latest one.

They’ll start the fourth quarter inside the Chiefs’ red zone at the 13-yard line after Derek Carr converted a 4^th-and-inches with a quarterback sneak.

Las Vegas is in great position to win in Kansas City for the first time in eight years, but can they pull it off?

Chiefs, Raiders tied at 24 at halftime

Six combined touchdowns, 645 yards of total offense and 24 points apiece.

Raiders at Chiefs has been a back-and-forth shootout in the first half. It almost feels inappropriate that the half ended with the Raiders defense holding to force the Chiefs to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Harrison Butker.

Eye-popping numbers dot the statistic sheet. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is averaging 19.8 yards per pass attempt after a pair of long touchdown passes, one to Henry Ruggs III and the other to Nelson Agholor.

He has 246 passing yards to the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes 237 passing yards, though the latter also has 20 rushing yards.

Stay tuned and grip tight for the second half.

Raiders up 24-21 with 2:39 to play.

Derek Carr has shaken off an early interception and is now on pace to have a career day.

His latest big completion came on a 72-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III, the rookie first-round draft pick’s first score. Carr currently sits 9-for-11 for 235 yards and three touchdowns.

It looks like this won’t be just another day where the Chiefs blow out the Raiders at Arrowhead.

Raiders get it back to one score at 21-17 with 6:24 to play in second quarter

The over 54.5 points might hit….in the first half.

OK, not quite, but the Raiders’ trip to Kansas City has turned into quite the shootout. The teams are now officially trading touchdowns after Las Vegas went 75 yards in five plays and 2:45 of game time to get back within single digits of Kansas City.

Devontae Booker went 43 yards on the first play of the drive to get the Raiders into scoring territory and they ultimately converted a red zone trip with a 5-yard pass from Derek Carr to Darren Waller.

Carr now has 163 passing yards and two touchdowns to the Patrick Mahomes’ 158 passing yards with two total touchdowns (one rushing, one passing).

Chiefs lead 21-10 with 9:04 to go in second quarter

The Chiefs drove right down the field in response to the Raiders’ first touchdown, getting a first-and-goal situation in less than two minutes.

The Raiders’ defense bore down from there, but it ultimately didn’t matter. It ultimately didn’t matter because Patrick Mahomes put on the type of highlight only he seems to be capable of.

Mahomes snuck out of pressure, sprinted to the sideline and hit Sammy Watkins who was streaking through the middle part of the end zone.

Mahomes is torturing the Raiders, just as he’s done so often over the last couple years.

Raiders cut Chiefs deficit to 14-10

Like he’s done all season, Nelson Agholor made a big play when the Raiders needed it.

Las Vegas answered Kansas City’s two touchdowns with one of its own when Agholor hauled in a 59-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr. Agholor ran a deep route right in between two safeties and outraced them to score, spinning out of a tackle at the 2-yard line to land in the end zone.

The drive went 5 plays, 75 yards and Las Vegas is alive despite the earlier Kansas City rally.

Raiders cut Chiefs deficit to 14-10

Like he’s done all season, Nelson Agholor made a big play when the Raiders needed it.

Las Vegas answered Kansas City’s two touchdowns with one of its own when Agholor hauled in a 59-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr. Agholor ran a deep route right in between two safeties and outraced them to score, spinning out of a tackle at the 2-yard line to land in the end zone.

The drive went 5 plays, 75 yards and Las Vegas is alive despite the earlier Kansas City rally.

Chiefs lead Raiders 14-3 at beginning of start of the second quarter

Just like that, the Chiefs did what the Chiefs do in scoring quickly and creating separation on the scoreboard.

Tyreek Hill went untouched on a 10-yard reverse for a touchdown, four plays after Derek Carr threw his first interception of the season. Bashaud Breeland picked off Carr at the Raiders’ 43-yard line and returned it all the way to 28.

That made the score all too easy for the Chiefs, which could start to pull away if the Raiders can’t get something going on their next drive.

Chiefs 7, Raiders 3 with two minutes to go in first quarter

The Raiders’ lead at Arrowhead lasted less than four minutes.

The Chiefs answered as soon as they got the ball back, steaming down the field with a 9-play, 88-yard drive capped by Patrick Mahomes running in a 3-yard touchdown. Mahomes also connected with tight end Travis Kelce twice on the drive, and a long pass to Tyreek Hill.

Now let’s see if the Raiders can provide their own response.

Raiders make field goal midway through the first quarter

The Raiders won’t trail throughout in their first game of the year against the rival Chiefs.

Las Vegas got on the scoreboard first with a 38-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson that capped an 11-play, 45-yard drive. Kansas City punted on its first possession.

The key play of the scoring drive for the Raiders was a 46-yard third-down completion from Derek Carr to Henry Ruggs. Penalties helped stall the drive from there, though.

The Raiders must be thrilled to lead the undefeated, defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs but they’re going to need more than field goals on future drives to feel comfortable.

Inactives update

Henry Ruggs and Trent Brown are back. Maliek Collins is not.

Those are the main takeaways from the Raiders’ just-released injury report going into this morning’s game against the Chiefs. There was growing optimism all three could return, despite limited to no practice during the week, but the Raiders avoid a worst-case scenario by only missing Collins.

It will cause a significant shift on the defensive line where edge rusher Clelin Ferrell is expected to fill into Collins’ usual spot in the middle. Ferrell has been better against the run anyway and Collins had underachieved so there’s a chance the shift will work out without significant issue.

Ruggs is expected to return to the starting lineup at receiver alongside Hunter Renfrow and fellow rookie Bryan Edwards. Nelson Agholor and Zay Jones will provide depth.

Brown might be the one to watch closest. The right tackle attempted to come back from an injured calf once already and made it one series against the Panthers.

The hope is he’s recovered enough to make it through a full game and give a boost to a Raiders’ rushing attack that has declined in recent weeks.

PREGAME

Las Vegas gets its introduction to what many Raider fans would consider the team’s most heated rivalry series, with the Kansas City Chiefs, in Week 5. Unfortunately, it’s not an ideal time to become acquainted with the matchup from the perspective of the new home team.

The Chiefs are super-charged; they’re the defending Super Bowl champions and haven’t shown any signs of the dreaded hangover this season. Kansas City became the first team in NFL history to start 4-0 for four consecutive seasons with a win over the New England Patriots on Monday.

They’ve also beaten the Raiders five straight times, including all four since reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes took over at quarterback, dating back to the 2017 season. Adding to the misery, the Raiders haven’t beaten the Chiefs at Arrowhead since 2012.

Favorable matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. short week

Las Vegas (2-2) caught a small break when Kansas City’s game last week was postponed a day following New England quarterback Cam Newton testing positive for coronavirus. Data has consistently shown that NFL teams are less efficient when faced with even one day less of preparation for a game. It makes sense, as both practice and recovery times are cut when teams must cram their seven-day routines into six days. It might not seem like much of an edge, but teams have to take whatever they can get against the Chiefs, who present mismatches all over the field regardless of opponent. The truth is, the Raiders have no obvious advantage against the powerhouse Chiefs from a personnel perspective, but now, they do have one from a situational standpoint. Chiefs coach Andy Reid is 18-13 in his career in games played the Sunday after a Monday night game, but has won four in a row.

Problematic matchup: Patrick Mahomes vs. Raiders’ pass defense

No one has put the Raiders’ annual limitations defending the pass in focus quite like Mahomes. Diehard fans are surely sick of seeing the stat line by now but here it is: Mahomes has thrown for 1,194 passing yards and 11 touchdowns to one interception in four games against the Raiders. Worse, he’s also averaging better than 5 yards per carry, including one touchdown on 15 rushing attempts. And the Raiders’ defense looks ripe for the taking once again. They rank 27th in the NFL in giving up 6.2 yards per play, and 26th in giving up 7.5 yards per pass attempt. The secondary is also banged up as Las Vegas lost starting cornerback Damon Arnette to a broken thumb before Week 4 and his replacement, Nevin Lawson, is among three cornerbacks — along with Lamarcus Joyner and Keisean Nixon — who have been limited in practice heading into the Chiefs game.

Gamebreaker: Paul Guenther

Devising a scheme to slow the Chiefs is no easy task, but the Raiders’ third-year defensive coordinator must be feeling the pressure to do so this week. His job may depend on it. Guenther was in the press box, instead of his normal spot on the sideline, for last Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Jon Gruden oddly described it as a “loaded question” when asked about the move and had to later give Guenther a vote of confidence. The Raiders are downplaying the situation, but these are typically signs of tenuous job security. NFL coaches are often let go during bye weeks, and the Raiders are scheduled for their bye week after the Chiefs game. Gruden and Guenther both spoke of high expectations for this year’s defense coming into the season, and if it continues to fail to live up to them, someone is going to take the fall. It’s hard to imagine it being anyone other than Guenther.

Big number: 309

Consecutive passes Derek Carr has thrown without an interception dating back to last season’s Week 13 game at Kansas City. That’s the longest current streak in the NFL, but not the longest streak of Carr’s career. The seventh-year quarterback went 332 passes without an interception in 2018, another run that was halted in Kansas City. The 332-pass streak is the third-longest in NFL history, trailing Aaron Rodgers’ 409 consecutive passes and Tom Brady’s 358. Fumbles have been Carr’s bigger issue as he’s already committed three this season, including one the Raiders lost last week, to bring his career total to 31.

Best Bet: Josh Jacobs to score a touchdown at Even money

Jacobs has gone three weeks without finding the end zone, pulling his touchdown prop to even money, a clear buy point — especially in this matchup. The Chiefs are second-to-last in giving up 5.3 yards per rush attempt. They also struggle to defend running backs in the passing game, rating 28th according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA. Not only will Jacobs have a chance to break loose on an explosive play, but he’ll also be the Raiders’ preferred option near the goal line in a game where they’ll want to keep the clock running and not risk incompletions that give Mahomes added time to work with.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.